Connector unit for scaffold



D. M DONALD CONNECTOR UNIT FOR SGAFFOLD Sept. 5, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 19, 1965 s g MW m V r 0 POM M n W.

Sept. 5, 1967 0. MCDONALD 3,339,951

CONNECTOR UNIT FOR SCAFFOLI) Filed April 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r11 r51 A -56 Qwe l N VEN TOR.

David M DoImId Afforne gs United States Patent 3,339,951 CONNECTOR UNIT FOR SCAFFOLD David McDonald, 4347 Powell Ave., Birmingham, Ala. 35222 Filed Apr. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 449,193 Claims. (Cl. 287-54) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A connector for adjacent ends of vertically aligned scaflfold members each having abutting, plate-like members detachably connected 'by a latch which is pivotally Supported by one scaffold member. Laterally extending legs are carried by the latch in position to extend along opposite sides of the other scaffold member and releasable means holds the latch in engagement with the platelike member of said other of the scaffold members.

This invention relates to a connector unit for a scaffold and more particularly to such a connector unit which permits the scaffold to be erected and disassembled in a minimum of time.

Another object of my invention is to provide a connector unit for a scaffold of the character designated which shall include a releasable latch member, together with gravity actuated means for holding the latch member selectively in operative and inoperative positions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a connector unit for a scaffold of the character designated which is also adapted to carry releasable latch means for retaining brace elements of the scaffold in assembled position.

A further and more specific object of my invention is to provide a connector for detachably connecting adjacent ends of vertically aligned members of the scaffold to each other wherein plate-like members are carried by each of the adjacent ends of the vertically aligned members in position to abut each other, thus providing a firm and positive connection between adjacent scaffold members.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a connector unit for scaffolds which shall be extremely simple of construction, economical of manufacture and one which may be assembled and disassembled without the necessity of providing skilled labor.

Briefly, my improved connector unit for detachably connecting aligned ends of vertical scaffold memberscomprises a plate-like member carried by each of the adjacent ends and extending transversely of the vertically aligned members in position to abut each other. A latch member is pivotally supported adjacent one end by one of the vertically aligned members with the other end of the latch member extending laterally in position to engage the platelike member carried by the other of the vertically aligned members to thus retain the plate-like members in engagement with each other. Also, cooperating, interconnecting members are carried by adjacent ends of the vertically aligned scaffold members in position to limit lateral movement therebetween.

A scaffold connector unit embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing my improved connector unit employed on a conventional type scaffold;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmental view taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 1, parts being broken away and in section; and,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmental view taken generally along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, I show a scaffold which comprises a plurality of vertically aligned scaffold members 10 and 11 which may be in the form of metal tubes or the like. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, each upper tubular member 10 is in alignment with its associated lower tubular member 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the tubular members 10 and 11 of each scaffold unit are connected to each other by tubularmembers 12 and suitable braces 13. The scaffold units are connected to each other by diagonal braces 14, as shown in FIG. 1. Also, the lower ends of the scaffold units may be mounted on suitable rollers 16.

Secured to the upper end of each tubular member 10 and 11 by suitable means, such as by welding, is an angle bracket 17 having a depending flange 18 which extends in a vertical direction. The angle bracket 17 is provided with an upper, horizontal flange 19, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Secured to the lower end of each tubular member 10 is an angle bracket 21 having a lower horizontal flange 22 which is adapted to abut the upper surface of the horizontal flange 19, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The angle bracket 21 is provided with an upstanding flange 23 which extends in a vertical direction, as shown.

Projecting upwardly from the upper end of each of the tubular members 10 and 11 is a projection 24 which is adapted to engage a suitable recess provided at the lower end of the super-jacent tubular member to thus limit lateral movement of the angle brackets 17 and 21 relative to each other. Preferably, the uppermost end of each projection 24 is pointed as at 26 to facilitate insertion of the projection into the opening in the adjacent tubular member.

Secured rigidly to the lower portion of each tubular member 10 is a transversesleeve member 27 which is adapted to receive the base 28 of a generally U-shaped latch indicated generally at 29. The U-shaped latch 29 is provided with depending legs 31 and 32 having laterally extending end portions 33 and 34, respectively, which are adapted to engage the under surface of the horizontal flange 19 when the latch 29 is moved to the solid line position shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, while the latch 29 is in the solid line position shown in FIG. 3, the horizontal flanges 19 and 22 of the angle bracket 17 and 23 are held in firm and positive engagement with each other.

Secured to and connecting the legs 31 and 32 to each other in spaced relation to the base 28 of the U-shaped latch is a transverse member 36 which is in position to be engaged by a depending retaining element 37, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The retaining element 37 may be in the form of a bar which is adapted for sliding movement in a sleeve 38 which in turn is connected to the tubular member 10 by a suitable spacer element 39. To limit vertical movement of the retaining element 37 relative to retaining element 37 is adapted to move between the transverse member 36 and the base 28 to thus hold the latch in the dotted line position while the vertical members and 11 are being connected to each other.

Secured to and projecting outwardly from the vertical flanges 18 and 23 of the angle brackets 17 and 21, respectively, are pins 43 which are adapted to enter suitable openings 44 provided adjacent the ends of the cross brace members 14, as shown in FIG. 4. To prevent release of the cross members 14 connected to the vertical flanges 23, I provide depending retainer elements 46 which slidably engage sleeve-like members 47 which are secured to the tubular members by suitable means, such as by welding at 48. The retainer elements 46 are in the form of elongated bars and outward movement of the bars is limited by providing suitable stop members 49 adjacent the lower ends of the bars 46. Downward movement of the retainer bars 46 is limited by the horizontal flange 22, as shown in FIG. 4. The retainer elements 46 engage the outer surface of the cross braces 14 adjacent the ends thereof to thus prevent release of the cross braces after the scaffold is assembled.

The cross braces 14 connected to the pins 43 carried by the vertical flanges 18 are held in place by retainer elements 51. Each retainer element 51 is in the form of an elongated bar 52 mounted for sliding movement in a vertical sleeve 53 which in turn is secured to the vertical flange 18 by suitable means, such as by welding. The upper end of the elongated bar 52 is curved, as shown in FIG. 3 to provide a depending leg portion 54 which is adapted to extend downwardly into engagement with the cross brace 14, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Upward movement of the retainer element 51 is limited by stop members 56 provided at the lower ends of the vertical bars 52. It will thus be seen that the upper portion of the retainer element 51 is generally U-shaped with one depending portion slidably engaging the sleeve 53 while the other depending portion 54 engages the outer surface of the cross braces 14 to hold the same in place.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my improved connector unit for a scaffold will be readily understood. The tubular members 10 of the upper scaffold units are moved into vertical alignment with the tubular members 11 of the lower scaffold units whereby the upstanding projections 24 engage the openings in the bottom of the tubular members 10 to thus limit lateral movement of the upper and lower tubular members relative to each other. As the upper and lower tubular members are assembled, the transverse member 36 engages the outer surface of the retainer element 37 whereby the latch member 29 is held in the dotted line position shown in FIG. 3 during assembly. With the vertical tubular members 10 connected to the lower vertical tubular members 11, the retaining element 37 is lifted whereupon the latch 29 moves to the solid line position shown in FIG. 3. That is, the latch member 29 moves by gravity to the solid line position. To retain the latch 29 in the solid line position, the retaining element 37 falls alongside the outer surface of the transverse member 36. The abutting flanges 19 and 22 of the angle brackets 17 and 21 are thus firmly and positively held in abutting relationship to each other by the latch members 29 while the laterally extending ends 33 and 34 of the latch member engage the under surface of the flange 19 of the angle bracket 17.

The cross braces 14 are connected to the outwardly projecting pins 43 and are retained in assembled position relative to the vertical flanges 18 and 23 by means of the retainer elements 46 and 51. That is, the retainer elements 46 and 51 are held in raised position until the cross braces 14 are moved into engagement with the outwardly projecting pins 43. The retainer elements 46 and 52 are then released whereby they fall to the position shown in FIG. 4 to thus retain the cross braces in place.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have devised an improved connector unit for a scaffold in which the latch means and retainer elements all move by gravity toward operative or retaining position. Also, by providing a latch member which may be held selectively in operative and inoperative position by a movable retaining element, the latch member does not interfere with assembly of the uppermost vertical members relative to the lower members of the scaffold. Furthermore, by providing retainer elements for the cross braces of the scaffold which may be released by merely lifting the retainer elements, I provide simple and effective means for installing and disassembling the cross braces. In actual practice, I have found that my improved connector unit for a scafford is extremely simple to erect and disassemble by unskilled labor and at the same time all of the components of the scaffold are positively held in assembled relation to each other to provide an extremely safe scaffold.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a connector for detachably connecting adjacent ends of vertically aligned members of a scaffold to each other:

(a) a plate-like member carried by each of said adjacent ends and extending transversely of said vertically aligned members in position to abut each other,

(b) a generally U-shaped latch having its base pivotally supported by one of said vertically aligned members with the ends of the legs of said U-shaped latch extending laterally along opposite sides of said other of said vertically aligned members in position to engage the plate-like member carried by the other of said vertically aligned members to retain said plate-like members in engagement with each other,

(e) means interconnecting said plate-like members to each other to limit lateral movement therebetween, and

(d) releasable means holding said U-shaped latch in engagement with the plate-like member carried by said other of the vertically aligned members.

2. In a connector as defined in claim 1 in which each plate-like member constitutes one flange of an angle bracket and the other flange of the angle bracket carries an outwardly projecting pin which is operatively connected to a brace member for the scaffold and an elongated bar is adapted for movement in a sleeve member mounted adjacent said pin in position to engage the outer surface of a brace member connected to said pin.

3. In a connector as defined in claim 1 in which the releasable means holding said U-shaped latch in engagement with the plate-like member carried by said other of the vertically aligned members comprises:

(a) a transverse member connecting the legs of said U-shaped latch to each other, and

(b) a movable retainer element operatively connected to said one of the vertically aligned members and adapted to move selectively from a position out of engagement with said transverse member to a position in engagement with the outer surface of said transverse member to lock said U-shaped latch in place.

4. In a connector as defined in claim 3 in which the movable retainer element is in the form of an elongated bar mounted for sliding movement within an elongated sleeve carried by said one of the vertically aligned members.

5. In a connector as defined in claim 4 in which the transverse member is mounted in spaced relation to the base of the U-shaped latch in position to receive said elongated bar therebetween while the U-shaped latch is moved to a position out of engagement with the platelike member carried by the other of said vertically aligned members, whereby said elongated bar is adapted to retain said U-shaped latch in inoperative position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 141,292 7/1873 Ruston 28720.92.4

Stetler 182--178 X Brown 28754 X Harwell 52-637 Kirkpatrick 28754 X DArchy Chadwick et a1.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

223,008 12/1879 Robinson 28720.92.4 1 A-V-KUNDRATAssimmExammer- 

1. IN A CONNECTOR FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING ADJACENT ENDS OF VERTICALLY ALIGNED MEMBERS OF A SCAFFOLD TO EACH OTHER: (A) A PLATE-LIKE MEMBER CARRIED BY EACH OF SAID ADJACENT ENDS AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID VERTICALLY ALIGNED MEMBERS IN POSITION TO ABUT EACH OTHER, (B) A GENERALLY U-SHAPED LATCH HAVING ITS BASE PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED BY ONE OF SAID VERTICALLY ALIGNED MEMBERS WITH ENDS OF THE LEGS OF SAID U-SHAPED LATCH EXTENDING LATERALLY ALONG OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID OTHER OF SAID VERTICALLY ALIGNED MEMBERS IN POSITION TO ENGAGE THE PLATE-LIKE MEMBER CARRIED BY THE OTHER OF SAID VERTICALLY ALIGNED MEMBERS TO RETAIN SAID PLATE-LIKE MEMBERS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER, (C) MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID PLATE-LIKE MEMBERS TO EACH OTHER TO LIMIT LATERAL MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN, AND (D) RELEASABLE MEANS HOLDING SAID U-SHAPED LATCH IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PLANE-LIKE MEMBER CARRIED BY SAID OTHER OF THE VERTICALLY ALIGNED MEMBERS. 